


PROTECT THE ONE YOU LOVE: Usagi's Road Trip Adventure

by Moon_Daisuki



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Genre: F/M, Road Trips, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:00:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23651992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moon_Daisuki/pseuds/Moon_Daisuki
Summary: Usagi is stuck in a car with her least favorite person Chiba Mamoru. Cake, Ego, Sailor Moon saving our favorite caped superhero, plus some good fluff. What will they learn?
Relationships: Chiba Mamoru/Tsukino Usagi
Kudos: 15





	PROTECT THE ONE YOU LOVE: Usagi's Road Trip Adventure

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Guys, So this is a thing. Here is my UsaMamo Spring Exchange Fic for the lovely @Bajillion Kittens. I hope you really love this. Consider it your very own episode filled with chocolate cake, ego, Sailor Moon saving our favorite caped superhero, and some good fluff. Thanks to the lovely @UglyGreenJacket for hosting this exchange. Now onto the story.

PROTECT THE ONE YOU LOVE: Usagi’s Road Trip Adventure

They were standing on the platform in Nagoya when the train cancellation was announced. Mamoru sighed, and turned to her. “Well come on then, I can’t just leave you here, can I? You need to get back to Tokyo as well?” She nodded, struck silent by his strange almost nice mood, especially this early in the morning.

“I have an idea,” he said. She followed him to a nearby car rental company. After a good bit of discussion, the lady behind the counter brought keys to a small two door sedan. Mamoru signed multiple papers filled with language she didn’t fully understand, and she watched, surprised when he used a card to pay the fees. Finally finished, they loaded their luggage into the back seat, and prepared for the trip to Tokyo….

Usagi stared at rain sheeting against the car, choking on the scent of cigarette smoke and bubble gum air freshener. Her hand smoothing over the soft fabric of the seat. She glanced over at her least favorite person. _How did things go so wrong?_ She couldn’t believe it. _Why couldn’t it have been Tuxedo Kamen instead? His identity is a mystery but that tug is irresistible._ Mamoru brushed his bangs back out of his eyes for the thousandth time.

“You need a haircut, you’re not some superhero or something, you know?” Usagi giggled amused. His eyes jumped to hers and then back to the road. “Odango, what do you know about superheroes anyway? You’ve been reading magical girl manga again, haven’t you?” She shrugged, letting him think what he wanted. She turned away staring out at the water. _If only you knew._ Her thoughts turned back to the trip. _Hopefully Luna is happy._ She went to Nagoya to visit her grandparents, as a cover. _Thankfully there haven’t been any attacks_ , _the enemy is centered in Tokyo._ She needed to get back to Tokyo fast. The weather was not cooperating at all.

“So Mamo-bak…Chiba-san why were you in Nagoya? Do you have family there too?” She glanced at him. He kept his eyes on the road. “No, I don’t have family there. I was there for a Nagoya University lecture.” She thought she saw pain on his face, but the look was gone in an instant. _Maybe I imagined it?_ She nodded, not knowing what else to say. The trip continued in silence.

_They know who I am, what will they do if they find me? How can I protect Usagi? What about Sailor Moon? If they harm me, who will protect her?_ Mamoru kept his thoughts to himself. His gaze would jump to the blonde every so often just to check on her. She sat quietly staring out the window, seeming as lost in thought as he was. _I have to get her back safely to Tokyo before they attack. And who keeps asking me for the crystal?_ His thoughts circled until he realized they were making slow progress. Mamoru suggested they stop for food and a restroom break.

Usagi nodded, happy to get out of the car. He found a little restaurant and pulled into the parking lot. In minutes they were inside, Usagi calling Ami, while he used their facilities. She quickly let her friend know of the delay and how she ended up with Chiba-san trying to get home safely. Ami promised to let the others know. Next, she called her parents, letting them know the train had been canceled, and she was with a male friend from the arcade, who was driving home. Her dad made the usual teasing remarks, about meeting this boyfriend. He chuckled when he heard her tart reply.

Once Mamoru returned, they took turns ordering their food from the machine. After just a few minutes their order was called. They retrieved their orders and she felt a moment of surprise when she saw his dessert plate. “Wait, you ordered dessert too?” She eyed the small chocolate cake with envy as they found a quiet booth towards the back.

He just nodded and began to eat. She followed suit, and they ate in a not totally awkward silence. The ramen was quite good. When he made a huge slurping noise, she forgot herself, and a small giggle slipped out. He lifted his face to look up at her in surprise.

“It was funny...” She shrugged and then waved a hand to distract him. “Please…would you share your cake?” He watched her with an odd look in his eyes. “Come on…it’s chocolate. Please?” She said, the one word becoming a plea.

“Maybe…just a single bite though.” She let the breath she’d been holding. “Thank you.” She fell silent once more, letting the comfortable silence continue until they were finished eating. Her mouth watered as her eyes wandered to the cake multiple times. Once he’d drank the last of his soup, she smiled impatiently. She watched him, waiting for a sign. He stared back with a smirk, seeming to understand that he was torturing her in some small way. Finally, he relented, nodding.

 _Joke’s on you!_ Usagi used her chopsticks to steal a giant-sized bite cramming it into her mouth with glee. He stared at her, his mouth hanging open in surprise. She moaned at the wonderful taste and then swallowed, before laughing. “You did say one bite. You just didn’t say how big. I am a professional when it comes to sweets.” She paused when he pointed at her with an odd look. “You have chocolate just there,” he indicated the corner of her mouth. She felt her face heat up, and continued speaking to cover her embarrassment. “Mako-chan, my tall brunette friend, makes the best cakes, and that was close.” She eyed the cake as he ate it in small neat bites.

“In the orphanage we weren’t ever given dessert…” He shut his mouth with an audible snap, a shocked look on his face. Usagi’s eyes jumped to his face. Mamoru looked uncomfortable with his slip. She chose to let it be.

“Well it's a very good cake.” She smiled when he seemed to relax the tiniest bit. “Okay I’m going to use the restroom.” She slid from the booth, leaving him behind for the moment. She reached the restroom and walked to the sink. She turned on the water and began washing her hands while thinking over his words. 

_I didn’t know._ Her world shifted as she realized the ramification of his admission. It was a lot to process. She felt like crying at the thought of his loneliness, but she knew he would not want pity. She decided right then and there, that she would adopt him as she had her other close friends. She wanted him to feel cared for. Usagi pondered asking him about the details, but decided not to. She’d wait until he felt comfortable with talking about it. With a sketchy plan in place, she returned to the table, to find him paying the bill.

“Thank you for sharing your cake with me.” Startled blue eyes jumped to hers. “You’re welcome…are you ready?” At her nod, he slid from the booth and she followed suit. They returned to the car. The rain was coming down even harder than before slowing their progress even more.

Mamoru worried about the rain. It was torrential, and visibility was down to a few feet. He could only creep forward at a slow pace. “I don’t know if we’ll make it.” She nodded, remaining lost in her thoughts. He realized she’d been pretty quiet since they left the restaurant. From all that he knew of her from the arcade quiet was not her normal behavior.

“Hey we’ll be okay I promise. I’m here and I will protect you.” He smiled trying to offer comfort and soothe her. She smiled gently, and he felt something in his heart flutter. His eyes jumped back to the road, and he tried to process what had just taken place. _That smile…It felt familiar…_ He tried to place it, but couldn’t understand why it touched his heart. It brought to life feelings he didn’t understand _. Love, pain, and sorrow._ He felt odd, his throat burned with a lump and tears pricked at his eyes. He turned on the radio to distract himself.

_“We here at 96.5 Minamiashigara admit this is the worst storm we’ve seen in years. The train has been down since early this morning, and many bridges and roads are shutting down due to flash flooding. Please stay safe out there, and travel carefully.”_

He realized they’d traveled almost three hundred kilometers since leaving Nagoya. They were still an hour from Tokyo. Everything looked shut down and boarded up so they kept going. Daylight was leaving rapidly with the grey rainy weather. He slowed down even more, and they were creeping along. “Well we may have to keep going and just get there.”

Usagi watched the rain beat against the car. Soft music and the rain beating against the car, were the only sounds. She was lost in her own thoughts. She wanted to ask him questions, but she wasn’t sure how to begin. “Um I know I shouldn’t pry, but I just need to know one thing. Why were you in an orphanage?” She rushed the words daring to peek at him out of the corner of her eye. _He doesn’t look angry._ She held her breath, just waiting.

“I was only six, we were in a car accident, my parents didn’t survive. I have no memories from before.” He spoke the words in a somber voice. She felt the pain behind his words. She waited, but he seemed finished.

“Thank you for telling me.” She tried to hide her tears, but his pain affected her in ways she hadn’t foreseen. She looked away from him fearful he might mistake her tears for pity. A warm hand landed on her knee.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry.” She swallowed past the burning lump in her throat. She longed to offer comfort, but wasn’t sure how to go about it. She shook her head and squeezed his hand, a soft smile given. He relaxed a fraction of a bit. “You’re the only person who has ever asked me about it.” He spoke quietly, his voice soft blending with the rain and music. Night had fully fallen, and it was getting late. The roads were empty and it looked as though the power was out as they reached the outskirts of Tokyo.

There were no people out, and the wind had picked up drastically as they reached Tokyo. Usagi began to wonder about the strength of the weather, and who might be behind it. Mamoru had fallen silent a while back and appeared stressed as they drove slowly through the districts. She sucked in a deep breath when a plastic chair blew right in front of the car. The headlights lit it up just in time for Mamoru to brake hard and miss it.

Usagi’s eyes jumped to his face. He looked more focused than she’d ever seen him. There was something about the firmness of his chin that tickled at her memory, until Mamoru swerved to miss a big branch. She braced herself from slamming into the passenger side window. They were nearing Tokyo Tower when she first noticed it.

A ghastly green light lit the air around the tower turning the night sky into something grotesque. Without looking away she tapped Mamoru and pointed. He let out an odd strangled sound. Her eyes jumped to his face. He looked ashen in the horrible light. _What am I gonna do, how can I protect him?_ She tried to think of some way to distract him long enough to transform into Sailor moon. “Um I need to use the bathroom now, right now, oh please hurry. Chibi-san can you find somewhere open?” She begged, trying to sound distressed. 

He glanced at her with a questioning look and then nodded. Relief filled her. He seems to believe me. He drove another block and then spotted a Family Mart that was open. He pulled into the parking lot, and put the car in park. “Please be careful…okay?” 

Her gaze jumped to his face to find him looking at her with a pleading look. “I will…I promise.” She didn’t understand, but knew she had to hurry. She opened the door and ran for the front of the store. Once inside she made her way to the back and slipped out into an alley.

“MOON PRISM POWER MAKEUP!” She called out the words with her locket out. She felt the power move inside her, as the warmth of ancient magic whipped a different storm around her. It still surprised her how the light felt moving over her skin, changing into her fuku, boots and gloves. When her tiara settled on her head, she was ready to go.

She hurried out into the weather, fighting against the wind. She struggled to make her way to Tokyo Tower, something there was off. That garish green light meant the Dark Kingdom was up to something. She hadn’t thought the weather was normal, but now she suspected they had a major hand in it. She stopped in a storefront archway out of the weather, and used her communicator to alert the other senshi. 

Mamoru gave Usagi a five-minute lead, and then left the car. He wanted her safe, and if leaving her here would do it, then so be it. He hurried back toward the tower, knowing that Zoisite was drawing him out in the open. He knew what they wanted, the rainbow crystal he had. When he’d seen the sky, he’d known. Usagi’s bathroom break couldn’t have landed better if he planned it. _Wait?_ He shrugged it off, and struggled through the rain. He was preparing to transform when he felt the pull of Sailor Moon.

He felt the magic pool low in his belly as the power took over. The crisp scent of roses assailed him as his transformation took place. He relished the familiar weight of the cape over the tuxedo he wore. He was pleasantly surprised when the rain ran off the cape, keeping him a bit drier underneath. He hurried forward hoping to assist Sailor Moon in stopping the Dark Kingdom. He saw a lone figure up on the fifteenth level of the tower. As it was just after eleven, he knew they were calling him. 

He jumped up to a nearby balcony and made his way to the rooftop of a nearby building. He began sprinting up the rest of the block jumping from rooftop to rooftop. He could not yet see Sailor Moon, but he felt her presence nearby. He was now nearing the garish green area. When he reached the base of the tower, he jumped to the lowest level, and began ascending to where the presence waited. 

Tuxedo Kamen guessed it would be Zoisite waiting for him. _“I am not too concerned, except what if it’s Kunzite instead?”_ he thought The four Shittenou felt oddly familiar in a way he couldn’t explain. He spent whole nights’ pondering, but had reached no conclusion. From the twelfth floor he recognized the obnoxious teen. He really was something to look at. His tawny hair accentuated a classical beauty that wasn’t seen often. 

_Where was Sailor Moon? Is this dimensional space distorted?_ The thoughts racing, He pushed outward tracing the pull, but there was no exact location. He took a deep breath before landing on the top level, across from Zoisite. “What kind of game are you playing now Zoisite?” Tuxedo Kamen let irritation color his question.

“This is no game Tuxedo Kamen or should I call you Chiba Mamoru? You have what I want, and either way tonight it shall be mine. I can offer your Rainbow Crystal to Queen Metaria and gain favor.” His cocky grin bothered Tuxedo Kamen. “He is like an untrained pup, still learning.” Tuxedo Kamen shook his head. That voice sounded familiar and friendly… He knew it was his memory, but that made no sense. He shook his head, choosing to ignore it for the moment….

  
  


Sailor Moon approached the tower in shadows. She could see two figures at the top across the building from each other. With the storm raging she could barely hear anything. A building nearby was tall enough to get her close without being seen. She made her way up the balconies until she was one level below where they stood. 

She was mid-jump when she heard Mamoru’s name, breaking her concentration. She landed with a rough oomph, the beam beneath her hands. She tried to pull herself up onto the cold, damp steel and listen as Zoisite kept talking. She heard him mention Queen Metaria and favor. She dug deep into her reserve of strength to pull herself to safety. With a soft sigh, she sat for a moment regaining her equilibrium. Hearing Mamoru’s name was confusing. Maybe he’s their next target? She was still unsure of who stood above her with Zoisite.

She rose and made her way closer to where they were located. She was looking for an easier way to access their level. Finding a maintenance ladder, she began to climb. When she reached the next level, she was fearful of the silence that had fallen. She popped up to find herself directly between Zoisite and Tuxedo Kamen. 

“And no trap is complete without the bait. Thank you my dear for arriving on schedule.” He waved a hand in her general direction. She stepped up onto the level and stared at Zoisite with a disdainful look.

“You dare to infect our great capital and our treasured tower with your noxious energy, in the name of the Moon, I shall punish you.” She was watching for the arrival of her cohorts. Tuxedo Kamen eyed her with compassion yet he looked concerned. 

“Noxious…You call my energy noxious?” She watched his irritation grow, she hoped that provoking him would make him act without thinking. “Yes, you stink worse than your allies did.” She watched as his rage grew. She was thinking of how to add insult to injury when Tuxedo Kamen interrupted. 

“Enough…Sailor Moon, you are not a part of this please leave. There is someone at the Family Mart that needs to get home safe.” Sailor Moon stared at him, shock rolling through her. _How could he know…._ And the mask slipped away. She could not believe what her eyes were telling her. Her own words earlier that morning came back to haunt her. _You’re not some super hero or something._ She felt her face heating up. She stared at Mamoru Chiba.

“You’re Tuxedo Kamen?” Zoisite chose that moment to remind them of his presence. “Yes…yes, we all know he’s Chiba-san, can we get back to the matter at hand?” Sailor Moon turned to look at the young man. Her gaze jumping between the two men. “What is going on here exactly?” She looked to Tuxedo Kamen for an explanation. Zoisite enjoyed ruining the moment.

“I called out tuxedo boy, to get his rainbow crystal. I knew you would show as well, as insurance to keep the odds in my favor. You’ve already killed two of my brethren.” He shot her a hate-filled scathing look. “Once I am finished with him, I will take my time with you. I want you to feel every bit of suffering they felt as you killed them.” Tuxedo Kamen stepped closer.

“This isn’t about her. You want this, you come get it.” He held the rainbow crystal up to draw Zoisite’s attention away from Sailor Moon. “Go now.” He yelled at Sailor Moon. When Zoisite turned, Tuxedo Kamen expertly threw a rose. It sliced Zoisite’s cheek, marring his ethereal beauty. He lifted a hand to his cheek and stared for a second at the blood that met his fingers. 

Before anyone could react, Zoisite let out an enraged growl, and threw a huge black crystal in Tuxedo Kamen’s direction. Sailor Moon jumped to try to intercept but landed a few inches too short, she watched in horror as the pointed black quartz slammed into Tuxedo Kamen, dropping him flat. “Fuck Beryl. Tux boy you dare to scar me. Die for your sins.” 

Tuxedo Kamen let out an excruciating scream as the crystal ravaged his body. Sailor Moon watched as his transformation slipped away and Chiba Mamoru lay prone where Tuxedo Kamen had been. She rushed to his side and knelt, taking in the black ooze that was slowly turning him to quartz. Tears slipped down her cheeks. “Usagi is safe, I promise, and I’ll get us out of this. Hold on, okay.” She stood back up with fierce intent. Her friends had not yet arrived. 

She swallowed, pulling herself under control, she knew she had to act to save Tuxedo Kamen and herself. “You should have stayed home tonight.” She moved toward the young man. He grinned unrepentantly. 

“Your little boy toy isn’t here to protect you now, bitch.” She stared at the vile young man. He lifted a hand sending a wave of icky energy her way. She jumped out of the way, and sent him flying back with a kick to his midsection. He looked a tiny bit taken aback. I have to keep him distracted until they get here. She could hear Mamoru’s muffled cries growing weaker as the Crystal changed his body. She tried to shut that out for the moment. She moved towards Zoisite again. “You’re just some spoiled brat, aren’t you?” Sailor Moon taunted him. She watched as he grew angry and tried another edge. “You aren’t so pretty now that Tuxedo Kamen left you a nasty scar.” She poked at his ego hoping to push him further.

He paled and she could see she’d finally found a nerve to use. “Your lover won’t even want you anymore.” She kept going. “You’re ugly now.” His roar proved her theory correct. She jumped out of the way of the Crystal he sent her way, and landed a kick to his jaw. He slammed back into a steel beam knocking him senseless for a moment. Sailor Moon took advantage of that. She pulled the Moon Wand and extended it before moving through the motions required. Once it was fully activated, she began the powerful call. “MOON….HEALING….”

A voice interrupted. “What have you done?” Sailor Moon turned to find Kunzite had entered through a portal. She watched as he lifted Zoisite’s limp body into his arms and turned accusing eyes on her. “Mark my words, there will be hell to pay for this!” Sailor Moon watched as he disappeared back through the portal. The dimension reverted back to normal space. The garish green light faded away and the storm around the tower slowed. She hurried to Mamoru, and dropped to his side. His tortured eyes screamed with pain from his crystal form. It tore at her heart. “I can fix this hang on.”

She stood quickly, and pulled the moon wand out, before moving through the motions. “MOON….HEALING….ACTIVATION.” Waves of pure light raced from the wand and drenched Mamoru’s crystal form. She realized it wasn’t working. Her heart slammed in her chest. Her wand didn’t work, she wasn’t sure he could live. Dread filled her. She could taste fear like burning metal. She thought back over the day they’d spent in the car. She’d traveled lifetimes in one day, learning about her least favorite, favorite person.

She never imagined him like this. Being a superhero and orphan, mingled to create the man she now looked at differently. My heart should not care, but it already does. She placed her hands on his shoulders, The rough chipped stone hard beneath her soft skin.

“Hang on Mamoru…Hang on.” She closed her eyes trying to think around the panic ricocheting in her brain. Hot tears scalded her cheeks as they slipped down her face. She took in a giant deep breath, she could hear Tuxedo Kamen. “Steady…You can do this.” Many times, he had put his hands on her shoulders, and helped support her. Now it was her turn. She leaned more over him gripping his shoulders and tried the process without the wand. “MOON….HEALING….ESCALATION!” 

She felt the power building in her lower body, pooling strong and clear. She tried to guide it up to her arms and down through her hands. She kept her eyes closed, focusing on what she was attempting. The power moved slowly with her will. She could feel her hands on the stone and when her power surged there it became hot. 

She screamed, but held tight as the crystal began to crack. Her power surged through her pushing its way to the crystal, cracking every surface that coated him. She held tight her hands melting into the crystal. Her screams intensified, but still she hung on as her power crackled over every surface. As his face began cracking, she thought she saw movement. She pushed more power quickly trying to free him. Her vision faded at the edges, and she fought to stay grounded in the moment. 

When she heard a weak cough, she was pulled back from the edge. He was mostly free, and the rest was cracking off as he began to move himself. She felt giddy, and leaned forward.

“You’re gonna be okay.” She kissed him without thought. Until she went to move her hand. It made a horrible sound pulling away from the melted goo that remained. “I don’t feel so good, sorry.” That was all she could manage as her body shut down. 

Chiba Mamoru fought to understand what had just happened. Sailor Moon had kissed him then collapsed. He remembered Zoisite and the rainbow crystal, and then Sailor Moon arrived. He recalled something odd. He was trying to place it, something Sailor Moon had said.

 _Usagi is safe…I promise_. The very last thing he heard. He shifted a tiny bit. Blonde hairs were tickling his nose. He attempted to move the dead weight resting on him. It wasn’t until he saw his own arm that he realized he wasn’t currently transformed. That explained his lack of strength. The negative energy must have powered it down. He tried wiggling out from under Sailor Moon. With slow effort he was finally able to sit up and check on her. 

He turned to help Sailor Moon when his mind was blown. _Usagi Tsukino!_ His mind thought back over everything he knew, and so many pieces clicked into place. He smiled and tried to transform. He felt the power pool in his belly and spread out with a warm spicy pull. He reached for the unresponsive girl. He gently pulled her head into his lap. He remembered the funny sound when she kissed him.

He reached down and pulled her left hand to where he could see it. The burn on her hand was unlike anything he’d seen before. The negative energy she’d cracked had acted like acid and literally melted the palms of her hands to the hard crystal. He pulled her right hand up to compare. When he traced a finger over it, she whimpered in her sleep. She did that for me? He was touched by how much she suffered in saving him. 

As Tuxedo Kamen, he had some healing abilities, and hopefully he could help her. He brought her right hand up and placed a gentle kiss in the center. As his intuition had suggested, gold light began to spread from where his lips had brushed her palm. A warm gold glow spread out to her fingertips ever so slowly healing the skin as it went. He waited for that hand to finish before he picked up her left and repeated the process. 

When she was mostly healed, he realized she was just sleeping from the use of so much energy. He was about to shift when figures stepped out of the darkness. He was surprised to see her usual team mates.

“What did you do?” The tall brunette, Sailor Jupiter looked ready to attack him. The dark-haired Sailor Mars wasn’t far behind. The only one who looked curious was Sailor Mercury. She waved a hand at them. “Give him a chance to explain.” She gave him an inquisitive look.

“Thank you. I didn’t do this. Zoisite set a trap. I have healed her as much as I am able. She saved me tonight and in doing so burned up too much energy. She is sleeping now.” He watched as the blue-haired Sailor Mercury scanned her with a small tablet. “He’s being truthful.” She reached some kind of decision and nodded. “We’ll trust you to get her home safely.” She turned and waited for the girls to agree and they slipped off into the night. 

Usagi woke snuggled under a heavy warmth. She stretched the tiniest bit, only to realize she wasn’t in her bed. What happened? Slowly she remembered the trip home, and the Tokyo Tower. She moved her hand waiting for the intense pain, but there wasn’t. She also realized her head was pillowed on a shoulder. She blinked sleepily and looked up into Tuxedo Kamen’s deep blue eyes.

“Well hello sleepyhead…feel any better?” She smiled. “I do actually.” She drew her hand up to look at her palm. Her eyes widened to see her hand looking normal. She drew the other one up to find it the same. Her eyes jumped to Tuxedo Kamen, and he nodded. No words seemed to be needed for the moment. “We need to get back to the car, so I can get you home. We can talk about it later.” He lifted his cloak off of her and waited as she stood and then he followed suit. He de-transformed and they wandered to the elevator. Once in the elevator he picked up her hand and entwined their fingers. He caught her smile in the mirror. When the door opened at the bottom, they left the tower behind and returned to the Family Mart where the rental waited….

FIN


End file.
